I read 84 Charing Cross Road as a teenager, and have revisited it recently by watching the wonderful film adaption starring Antony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft and Judi Dench. This is the perfect bibliophile's book - it is Helene's story of her correspondence with a British bookseller as she tries to procure obscure literary books that she is interested in that are unavailable in New York where she lives.My Mum is a big fan of Helene Hanff, and I read a lot of her books as a child. I am currently trying to track down the sequel to this novel, The duchess of Bloomsbury street, which tells the tale of Helene visiting London for the first time. Such a shame that her other books have not been published by Virago.
It was published by Virago as one of their 30th anniversary hardbacks. It may well have been published in a paperback edition, but I can't track down a picture. Anyone know?
3.5*
